Israel Highlights 12 Nights (Friday Arrival)

Tour Rates & Dates:

*Please note that all rates displayed are based on standard room double occupancy.
All rates above are in US Dollars, and are based on full payment by credit card.
Discount for check payments available later in the booking process.
(Deposit can still be paid by credit card).
Upgraded room categories may be available to book later in the booking process.
If Land & Air price is displayed, the air portion includes tax and fuel surcharges, which are subject to change until ticketed.

The Israel Highlights tour is our classic, cross-cultural tour of Israel. With several itineraries to choose from, these tours offer participants a sense of inspiration - from the Tomb of King David at Mt. Zion in Jerusalem, to the vista of the Bahai Temple Gardens atop Haifa's Mt. Carmel, to Capernaum nestled between the foothills of the Galilee overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Travelers will tour Israel with an outstanding licensed guide, and experience the different cultures that come together in this amazing destination. Israel Highlights tours enable one to see, do, explore, and experience all that this ancient land has to offer. These tours are perfect for travelers who want to learn more about both the ancient and modern history of Israel, as well as increase their understanding of the origins of religious roots - Christian, Jewish, and more.

On-line booking
is available for all our Israel Highlights Tours to Israel.
Explore the possibilities on-line, or call us at 800-237-1517 to
find the right tour for you!

This Highlights Tour Includes:

2 Nights in Tel Aviv2 Nights in the Galilee5 Nights in Jerusalem2 Nights in Eilat1 Night in Tel AvivFully escorted with a professional guide throughoutView the Roma ruins in CaesareaSee the Bahai Gardens in HaifaExplore the roots of Kabbalah the mystical city of SafedEnjoy a wine tour and tasting at the Golan WineryVisit Capernaum, where Jesus preached, in the GalileeSee Jerusalem, the City of Gold, from atop the Mount of OlivesView the Roman ruins of Beit Alpha & Beit SheanVisit the tomb of King David at Mt. ZionExplore the treasures at the world class Israel MuseumSee the Knesset, Israel's ParliamentTour Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to the HolocaustEnjoy the Tower of David Night Spectacular Sound & Light showLearn the stories of King Herod's desert palace at MasadaEnjoy an unsinkable float in the Dead SeaMarvel at the beautiful desert landscape of TimnaVisit Eilat's fascinating Underwater ObservatoryOptional tour (additional cost) of Petra, JordanSee the breathtaking Ramon Crater in Mitzpe RamonVisit an authentic Bedouin tent & enjoy a camel ride

AND SO MUCH MORE!

Rates Include the Following
Services:

Transfer on arrival and departure from/to Ben Gurion Airport
12 nights accommodation with breakfast daily at hotel
1 lunch in Daliat El Carmel, a Druze village2 dinner at Kibbutz Lavi
1 dinner in Jerusalem 8 touring days as per itinerary with English speaking guide
Admission to media attractions as described in the program
Entrance fees to the sites visited as per itinerary*

Note: Standard
rooms are offered throughout. If standard rooms are unavailable at time of
booking at any given property, upgraded rooms, if available, may be offered to
client at an additional charge. Hotels may be substituted with similar hotels in
the same category.

*Itinerary subject to change

Rates
Do Not Include:

* Border fees & taxes for Petra trip - roughly $65 per person, payable in USD at the border* Jordan Visa - $69 including processing. Ayelet Tours will coordinate the visa - passport information must be accurate and submitted no later than 7 days prior to arrival* Tips to driver, guide,
wait staff, porters, housekeepers, etc. (Budget about $15.00 per person per
day)* Meals not listed* Travel Insurance (Highly Recommended; see options at www.ayelet.com)* Any items of personal nature or meals not specifically listed as included

• Depart the United States on our overnight flight to Israel. (Contact Ayelet Tours for assistance booking flights)

DAY 2, FRIDAY - WELCOME TO ISRAEL!

• Shalom and welcome to Israel.• Greeting and assistance at Ben Gurion airport by an Ayelet representative.• Transfer to our hotel; remainder of the day is on own at leisure.

Overnight Tel Aviv

DAY 3, SATURDAY - SHABBAT SHALOM!

• Breakfast at our hotel.• Enjoy a day at leisure to explore Tel Aviv on own.

Overnight Tel Aviv

DAY 4, SUNDAY - THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST

• Breakfast at our hotel.• This morning we check out of our hotel and drive north along Israel's scenic coastal plain.• Drive along the Mediterranean Coast to Caesarea, the ancient Roman capital of the area. Here we view the Roman Theater, the aqueduct, and ancient port as well as the impressive excavations of the Crusaders' city.• We continue to Megiddo, site of biblical Armageddon, whose 20 layers of civilization were featured in James Michener's The Source.• Our next stop is Daliat El Carmel, a Druze village, where we have the opportunity to learn about their unique culture.• Enjoy a late lunch at a local restaurant.• We stop atop Mt. Carmel in Haifa, where we take in the view of the sea, and the amazing terraced Bahai Gardens. • Continue into the Galilee.• Dinner at our kibbutz hotel.

Overnight at our Kibbutz in the Galilee

DAY 5, MONDAY: SAFED AND THE GOLAN

• Breakfast at our kibbutz. • We tour the mystical city of Safed, center of Kabbalistic practice. Explore the narrow alleyways lined with ancient synagogues and artists' galleries. • Enjoy a jeep ride up to the Golan Heights, where we pass former Syrian bunkers and stop atop Har Bental for panoramic views stretching far into neighboring Syria. Our guide updates us on the geopolitical situation in the area.• We continue to Kuneitra, former Syrian administrative capital of the region and Katzrin, the Israeli administrative capital of the region. • We stop at the award winning Golan winery for a tour and tasting.• We then visit Kesem Hagolan to watch a spectacular multimedia presentation of the area and its history in the 180 degree IMAX movie theater. • Dinner at our kibbutz hotel.

Overnight at our Kibbutz in the Galilee

DAY 6, TUESDAY: THE SEA OF GALILEE AND NAZARETH

• Breakfast at our hotel. • We begin our day with a visit to the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, ** which some believe marks the site of Mary's childhood home and the Annunciation by the angel Gabriel. • We continue to Tiberias, one of four holy cities in Judaism, where we visit the grave of the medieval sage Maimonides. • We continue to Capernaum where Jesus began his ministry, and site of numerous miracles. We see the ruins of several synagogues and the octagonal Church of St. Peter. • Our next stop is the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. • Visit the extensive Roman ruins of Beit Shean, destroyed over 1,300 years ago by earthquake, and recently excavated and reconstructed on a massive and impressive scale. • Visit the intricate mosaics in the synagogue at nearby Beit Alpha.

Overnight Jerusalem

DAY 7, WEDNESDAY: JERUSALEM'S OLD CITY

• Breakfast at our hotel. • We begin our day with an ascent up the Mount of Olives for a magnificent panoramic view of the City of Gold. • We continue Mt. Zion, where we visit the tomb of King David and then proceed to the Upper Room, believed to be the site of the Last Supper. • We enter the walled Old City and walk through the newly restored Jewish quarter, including the Roman Cardo marketplace and the Herodian quarter excavations. • We walk the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa, ending at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. • We continue to Bethlehem** (security permitting) to view the tomb of Rachel, wife of biblical patriarch Jacob. • We visit the Church of the Nativity and Manger Square.

Overnight in Jerusalem

DAY 8, THURSDAY: NEW JERUSALEM

• Breakfast at our hotel. • We begin our day at the extensive galleries of the Israel Museum, which recently completed a $100 million renovation and is world class in every way. The galleries range from pop and modern art, through renaissance and classical, with a strong emphasis on Jewish and Israeli archeological history and evidence going back thousands of years. Walk through the iconic Shrine of the Book which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, and see the impressive scale replica, in miniature, of Jerusalem as it was during the Second Temple period. • We continue to the Knesset, Israel's parliament where we take a tour and have time for a unique photo opportunity by the amazing outdoor bronze menorah sculpture. The Menorah was a gift given from England's parliament; the world's oldest, to Israel's parliament, the world's youngest. • Visit Mt. Herzl, Jerusalem's military cemetery, where we visit the gravesites of Theodore Herzl, Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin, and learn from our guide some of the heroic stories of those buried here. • We continue to Yad Vashem, Israel's memorial to the 6 Million Jews murdered in the Holocaust - here we view the many moving exhibitions including the Hall of Names and the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations. • We continue to Mea Shearim, an Ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem to learn about the unique lifestyle of the residents. • Tonight we enjoy a Middle Eastern dinner together.• Afterward, we enjoy a spectacular Sound and Light Show at the Tower of David (weather permitting). Overnight Jerusalem.

DAY 9, FRIDAY: MASADA AND THE DEAD SEA

• Breakfast at our hotel. • Early this morning, we depart Jerusalem and drive south through the Judean desert for the Dead Sea Basin. • Stop at Qumran, site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. • We drive along the shores of the Dead Sea and ascend to King Herod's fortresses and castle atop Masada, ascending the desert plateau by cable car. Visit the remains of the walls, palaces, synagogue, and the bathhouses, learning about the Jewish Zealots last stand against Roman forces. • Enjoy lunch and an unsinkable swim in the healing salty waters of the Dead Sea. • Return to Jerusalem.

Overnight Jerusalem

DAY 10, SATURDAY: SHABBAT SHALOM

• Breakfast at our hotel. • Enjoy a day at leisure to explore Jerusalem on your own.

Overnight Jerusalem

DAY 11, SUNDAY: THE SOUTH

• Breakfast at our hotel. • This morning, we check out of our hotel and travel south through the Negev desert. • Visit Timna with its impressive and beautiful desert stone landscapes, once home to King Solomon's Copper Mines. Marvel at the huge multi-colored rock formations. Then, on to Eilat. • In Eilat, we visit the fascinating Underwater Observatory, one of the largest seaquariums in the world, built into a Red Sea coral reef.

Overnight Eilat

DAY 12, MONDAY: EILAT/PETRA

• Breakfast at our hotel. • Enjoy a day of leisure relaxing or enjoying some of the many water sports on the shores of the Red Sea OR opt for an exciting day tour to Petra in Jordan*. *OPTIONAL DAY TOUR TO PETRA (Additional cost applies)• A mini-bus will provide early morning pick-up at hotels and transfer to the Jordanian border for crossing formalities. • After assistance with visa processing, we continue across the border into Jordan, and board our bus to begin our touring experience.• Drive through desert highways to our ultimate destination, the astonishing rose-red city of Petra. Petra is famous for its massive architecture, pools, dams and water channels. Petra is the legacy of the Nabateans (an early Arab tribe) who settled in the South of Jordan more than two thousand years ago. • The visit begins with the possibility of a short horseback-ride for about 700 meters (a little less than ½ mile) to the entrance of the Siq which is about 1.2 km (3/4 mile) long (walking distance). • There is a possibility to rent a cart (extra cost) to get inside Petra and back to the gate outside.• Petra is famous for its huge monuments such as The Treasury, Royal Tombs, The Court, Roman Theatre, Roman Street, Qassier El- Bint (Palace of Pharaoh's daughter) and many other smaller monuments which fascinate visitors. The city itself is almost 45 square km and is considered to be the eighth wonder of the world. • Late lunch is included. • Arrive at Jordan/Israel border around 6:00 PM to conclude crossing formalities. • Cross the border back into Israel & return to Eilat for a free evening.

Overnight Eilat

DAY 13, TUESDAY: THE MAGNIFICANT RAMON CRATER

• Breakfast at our hotel. • This morning, we check out of our hotel and travel north to the edge of the breathtaking crater at Mitzpe Ramon. • Afterwards, we enjoy a camel riding experience with a visit to an authentic Bedouin tent to experience their desert hospitality and enjoy a light lunch. • Continue to Sde Boker to Ben Gurion's Hut and Gravesite, where we will recall his dream of turning the desert green, and see the ways it is becoming a reality. • Head north to the Israeli Air Force Museum at Hatzerim, to see aircraft from throughout Israel's history. • Continue north to Tel Aviv for a free evening.

Overnight Tel Aviv

DAY 14, WEDNESDAY: DEPARTURE

• Breakfast at our hotel. • Depart for Ben Gurion Airport for our flight back to the United States. L'hitraot!

THE MEMORIES LAST FOREVER!

*Itinerary subject to change**Visit subject to availability

The above program can be extended and customized for groups an private families

A PUBLIC GROUP DAY TOUR TO PETRA may be added for $275.00 per person, not including visa fee or border taxes. Listed tour cost and Jordanian visa fee/processing charge of $69.00 are payable in advance and are non-refundable.

NOTE: Travelers to Petra must provide accurate passport information to allow Ayelet Tours to secure your Jordanian visa a minimum of 10 days in advance of travel. In addition, travelers must carry a valid passport and $65.00 per person in US currency for border taxes on the day of the Petra tour. Credit cards and travelers checks are not accepted at border crossing. Rates subject to change without notice.

Please note:If you depart from Israel during your visit (for example to go to Jordan or Egypt even for one day) VAT refund must be requested from customs at your departure land border at the time you depart. VAT at Ben Gurion airport will only process the refund for any goods purchased since last date of entry into Israel.